About Celebrations – Independence Day 2014
On 26 May 1918, in the midst of the Russian Civil War, Georgia declared independence and The Democratic Republic of Georgia was created. The flag of independent Georgia (Georgian: საქართველოს სახელმწიფო დროშა), also known as the Five Cross Flag (Georgian: ხუთჯვრიანი დროშა) was adopted in January 2004. The day is a national holiday and celebrations … Continue reading
About Events – New Wine Festival Tbilisi 2014
On May 24, the Georgian Wine Club hosted the annual New Wine Festival held at the Giorgi Chitaia Open Air Museum of Ethnography (Georgian: გიორგი ჩიტაიას სახელობის ეთნოგრაფიული მუზეუმი ღია ცის ქვეშ) in Tbilisi. The festival featured a wide range of wines from large companies and wine cellars as well as family wines from different … Continue reading
About Sights – Jvari Monastery
Built in the 6th century, Jvari Monastery (Georgian: ჯვარი, ჯვრის მონასტერი) stands on a mountaintop at the confluence of the Mtkvari and Aragvi rivers, overlooking Mtskheta, the former capital of Georgia. The monastery was built on the site of a large wooden cross erected by Saint Nino (Georgian: წმინდა ნინო) in the early 4th century. … Continue reading
About Celebrations – Victory Day
Victory Day, held annually on 9 May, is a national holiday in Georgia and many former Soviet Union countries. It commemorates the formal surrender of Nazi Germany to the Soviet Union in Berlin in May 1945 and marks the end of the Great Patriotic War for the USSR, which lost around 25 million citizens in … Continue reading
About Sights – Khudadov Forest in Tbilisi
Khudadov forest is located in Nadzaladevi District of Tbilisi and was created in 1893 on the initiative of Dr. Niko Khudadov, an ethnic Armenian and a member of Tbilisi Municipal Administration. The 40 hectare forest was officially opened in 1896 and was intended to be a recreational area for Tbilisi workers. The forest is populated with pine … Continue reading
About Achievements – The Saakashvili Presidential Library
Founded by former president of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, the Saakashvili Presidential Library is a political science and educational center that aims to promote liberal democratic values and the ideas of freedom, national unity and independence, free market economy and progress throughout Georgian society and the entire post-soviet space. Designed by the famous architect Jurgen Mayer … Continue reading
About Law Enforcement – Border Police of Georgia
The MIA Border Police of Georgia (Georgian: შსს საქართველოს სასაზღვრო პოლიცია) is a special service and law enforcement agency under the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia and is responsible for the protection of the State border. Georgia has borders totaling 1839 km with four countries (Republic of Turkey, Republic of Armenia, Republic of Azerbaijan … Continue reading
About Art – The Photography of David Guramishvili
Georgian artist and amateur photographer David Guramishvili (1857-1926) entered the Academy of Arts in Munich in 1886 where he became interested in photography, especially of life in the streets. These photographs are part of a series called ‘Bazaar’ and were taken in Tiflis (the name for Tbilisi during the time of the Russian Empire). CLICK on … Continue reading
About History – Georgian Maneti
The maneti (მანეთი) was the currency of the Democratic Republic of Georgia (საქართველოს დემოკრატიული რესპუბლიკა), which was established in May 1918 after the collapse of the Russian Empire and existed until February 1921 when the country was invaded by the Soviet Red Army. The maneti was subdivided into 100 kapeiki (კაპეიკი). Only banknotes were issued and each note bears a facsimile of the signature of … Continue reading
About Celebrations – Dyeing Eggs Red for Orthodox Easter
On Good Friday, Orthodox Christians in Georgia dye hard boiled eggs a red color using the root of the Madder plant and onion peel. The eggs represent the blood of Christ and are placed on green wheat grass, which symbolizes new life, resurrection, and eternity. The eggs are blessed in a church and on Easter … Continue reading
About Sights – The Egrisi Mountain Range
The Egrisi mountain range is a watershed ridge of the Inguri (Georgian: ენგური) and Tskhenistkali rivers situated in the Greater Caucasus Mountains in Georgia’s Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region (Georgian: სამეგრელო-ზემო სვანეთი). It reaches a maximum elevation of 3,173 meters at Mount Tsekuri. Forests of broad-leaved trees, such as oak and beech, grow on the slopes of … Continue reading
About Culture – The Memtevri of Ajara
Ajara (Georgian: აჭარა) is a largely mountainous region in south-west Georgia with areas rising to more than 3,000 meters (9,800 feet) above sea level. Seasonal farming, connected with cattle breeding, has been practiced in the mountains since Paleolithic times. The mountain farmers call themselves “Memtevri” and their cattle and milk products are an important part of the local … Continue reading
About Sights – Astronomical Clock in Batumi
Made in Germany, the Astronomical Clock in Europe Square in the city of Batumi (Georgian: ბათუმი) adorns the restored facade of the former National Bank building. A chime indicates the full hour, a single ring the half-hour. Apart from the time of day, the clock also shows astronomical information – the placement of the sun and … Continue reading
About Architecture – Vernacular Architecture of Tusheti
Located on the northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus Mountains, Tusheti (Georgian: თუშეთი) is famous for its fortress-houses and fortified towers. Its vernacular architecture is based on local needs and construction materials and traditional dwellings were largely built using dry construction methods with stone walls and roofs made from large natural slates. Timber work was … Continue reading
About Architecture – Georgia Pavilion for the Shanghai World Expo
Talented Georgian architect Giorgi Khmaladze designed the “Georgia Pavilion” for the Shanghai World Expo 2010. By the end of the Expo, over 73 million people had visited – a record attendance – and 250 countries and international organizations had participated. On 16 October 2010, the expo set a single-day record of over 1.03 million visitors. Photos … Continue reading
About Sights – Medea Monument in Batumi
The Medea monument in Batumi was designed by Davit Khmaladze and erected in Europe Square in 2007. In Greek mythology, Medea was a daughter of King Aieti (Georgian: აიეტი), the king of Kolkheti in present day western Georgia. Medea helped Jason to steal the legendary Golden Fleece (Georgian: ოქროს საწმისი). The Kolkhetian people developed an expertise in the smelting … Continue reading
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